 Those who strive for environmentally friendly lifestyles are always mindful of their energy use. Water heaters are known to be a major source of energy consumption. Traditional water heaters have a tank that is heated constantly so it is ready for use. Tank-less water heaters, also called Instantaneous or Demand Water Heaters, provide hot water only as it is needed. Traditional storage water heaters produce standby energy losses that cost you money. Tank-less water heaters are used only when there is a demand for hot water.
Tank-less water heaters will heat water directly without the use of a storage tank. Therefore, they avoid the standby heat losses associated with storage water heaters. When a hot water tap is turned on, cold water travels through a pipe into the faucet. In an electric tank-less water heater an electric element heats the water. In a gas-fired tank-less water heater a gas burner heats the water. As a result, tank-less water heaters deliver a constant supply of hot water. There is no need to wait for a tank to fill up with enough hot water. Tank-less water heaters provide hot water at a rate of about 2 – 5 gallons (7.6 liters– 15.2 liters) per minute. Gas-fired tank-less water heaters will produce higher flow rates than electric tank-less water heaters. Some smaller tank-less water heaters, however, cannot supply enough hot water for simultaneous use in large households. Washing clothes while taking a shower might not be a good choice. You can install a “whole house” tank-less water heater or install two or more tank-less water heaters, connected in parallel, for simultaneous demands of hot water. That way multiple demands for water aren’t an issue. Separate tank-less water heaters for appliances can also be installed for the things that use lots of hot water in homes.
For homes that use 41 gallons or less of hot water daily, tank-less water heaters can be 24% – 34% more energy efficient than conventional storage tank water heaters. They can be 8% – 14% more energy efficient for homes that use a lot of hot water, around 86 gallons a day. It is possible to have an even greater energy savings of 27% – 50% if a tank-less water heater is installed at each hot water outlet. After your demand water heater is properly installed and maintained, you can enjoy your new source of hot water knowing that you are eco-friendly and saving money!
|
